Scotland Matters Letters

WITH reference to the letter by Stewart Falconer (January 15) it has become very evident that the supporters of separating Scotland from rUK have learned very little since they lost the “once in a generation” democratic referendum vote in 2014. Not only are they sore losers but they have clearly failed to understand the basics as to why they lost, and more importantly, recognise that they are still floundering to articulate a credible economic plan that their fellow Scots, along with the financial sector and the money market, could at least consider seriously. Will Nicola Sturgeon’s regime prove to have been peak SNP, with the party and its independence dream doomed? Indeed, the refusal to face the hard economic facts of independence by the SNP was best illustrated when the uncompromising Growth Commission report by Andrew Wilson (SNP chief economist) was binned by Nicola Sturgeon because it spelt out the difficult choices with the currency, public sector spending cuts and the fact it could take up to 10 years to successfully apply for EU membership. Having failed miserably to publish a coherent and credible plan for independence has undoubtedly encouraged the vacuum to be filled by the barrack-room lawyer-type approach by some of the rank and file desperate to hang on to Ms Sturgeon’s “dream”. So, devoid of a plan and credibility many have resorted to misinformation in social media, grievances and intolerance more akin to a cult than a political party. Finally, on currency: we should all know that Scotland will not be allowed to keep using the pound if it breaks away. That leaves only two options — either sterlingisation (like Panama uses the US dollar) or float a heavily discounted Scottish currency. As the late Alistair Darling once said: “Any eight-year-old can tell you the flag of a country, the capital of a country, and its currency. Now I presume the flag’s the Saltire, I assume our capital will still be Edinburgh, but you (SNP) can’t tell us what currency we’ll have. What’s an eight-year-old going to make of that?” In my view the whole house of cards built by the SNP for independence has become more “dodgy” by every passing day and will over time become a sad footnote of our history. Ian Lakin, Aberdeen.

Scotland, to the shame of those running our domestic affairs for the past decade or so, remains stubbornly fixed at the top of the drug death league, way ahead of the nearest contender. It is perhaps the only international table where, under the SNP-Greens, we can claim to be top. No world leader will be calling the First Minister and asking for advice in that matter. What cannot be denied is that it needs urgent attention and focus, with the figures for Dundee and Glasgow quite staggering. And yet that is what it has decidedly not had during the years of nationalist hegemony in Scotland, where the problem has ranked far, far behind, say, pretend embassies and jollies for the SNP-Green boys and girls overseas and the milking of expenses. Alexander McKay, Edinburgh.

SNP MP Peter Wishart is ‘disappointed’ that Humza Yousaf is too busy to accept his invitation to attend his Scottish Affairs Committee at Westminster to discuss relations between the sovereign government at Westminster and the devolved administration in Edinburgh. Perhaps if Mr Yousaf didn’t spend his valuable time on attending, without invitation and beyond his remit, conferences in places such as Dubai and New York, he would have more time to discharge duties that are within his remit in the devolved administration. But it is more important to Mr Yousaf to bestride the international scene to pretend that he runs a sovereign regime. He does not. Jill Stephenson, Edinburgh.

THE current on-the-spot fine for fly-tipping is being increased from £250 to £500 but this will not deter the determined organised fly-tipping that has now created havoc and squalor on our country roads and in open land. Fly-tipping is big business as prosecutions are few and far between with only 51 cases being referred to procurators in Scotland in the past two years. SEPA is responsible for investigating infringements but seems impotent against the well-organised fly-tippers who are making loads of money charging customers big amounts for proper disposal of waste but then just fly-tipping and pocketing the cash. The Scottish Government urgently needs to crack the whip with SEPA and drastically reduce fly-tipping in Scotland as it is now evident in all areas of Scotland. Dennis Forbes Grattan, Aberdeen.

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